Corn-harvesting attachment for mowing-machines.



PATENTBD DEG. 15, 1903.

C. P. BLACKBURN.

CCRN HARVBSTINC ATTACHMENT TCR MCWIN'C MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 0G'l'.12,1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

No. 747,122. PATBNTBD DBC. 15, 1903.

C. P. BLACKBURN. CONN HARVESTINC ATTACHMENT FCR MCWINC MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. l2, 1903.

UNiTnn Patented December 15, 1903.

CHARLES F. BLACKBURN, OF GARRESONVILLE, VIRGINIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,122, dated December15, 1903. Applieationifiled October 12, 1903. Serial No. 176,724. (Nomodel.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. BLACK- BURN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Garresonville, in the county of Staord and State ofVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Har-Vesting Attachments for Flowing-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

The arduousness of harvesting corn inthe way commonly practiced is wellknown to farmers, andv machinery specially designed for this purpose isexpensive and not within reach of the average agriculturist, henceadherence t'o the old way of harvesting corn by hand for the most part.

This invention enables the use of the ordinary mowing` machine for thesuccessful harvesting of corn and like growth by devising an attachmentwhich may be easily and .quickly fitted thereto with the greatestfacilityand which may be disconnected therefrom at a moments notice whennot required for immediate use and stowed awayin a compact form,so as tooccupy the smallest amount of space possible.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand drawings hereto attached.

While Athe essential and characteristic features of lthe invention aresusceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a perspective view of a mowingmachine having the corn-harvesterattachment applied thereto, showing the manner of operation. of themower having the attachment in position and illustrating the manner ofsupporting a number of stalks to form a bunch. Fig. 3 is a view similarto Fig. 2, illustrating the manner of discharging the bunch. Fig. 4 is adetail view showing the manner of connecting the attachment to the baror plate of the mower cutting mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail view of thearm for the supportingrod, showing the clamp for attachment thereof tothe axle.

Corresponding and like parts are referred Fig. 2 is a side elevation,

to in the following description and indicated in all the views of thedrawings by the same reference characters.

The mowing-machine illustrated is of ordinary construction, beingselected todemonstrate the application of the invention.

The bar or plate l ofA the cutting mechanism is provided near each endwith a longitudinally-curved socket 2, in which is fitted theinterlocking extension 3 at the front end of the side bar 4, .the jointbeing eected by a longitudinal and pivotal movement of the side barwhereby the curved projection 3 is entered into the socket 2,as whenplacing the attachment in position, or removed therefrom f whendisconnecting the attachment from the machine. The side bars 4, two innumber, incline rearwardly and upwardly and extend about in parallelrelation and may be of metal or wood. When made of wood, the front endsof the side bars are reinforced by metal tips,which are provided withthe curved interlocking extensions 3. The bars 4 obtain a purchase uponthe plate or bar l in the rear of the interlocking extension 3, as

shown at 5, the Weight of the bars 4 being sufficient to retain them inplace and the length and size of the interlocking extension 3 being suchas to insure the formation of a stable joint.

Guard-bars 6 are located above the side bars 4 and curve rearward anddownward toward their hind ends, which are secured to the bars 4in anymanner. The front ends of the guardbars curve outward, as shown mostclearly in Fig. 1, to form a daring mouth for guidance of the stalksbetween the bars in the operationof the machine. `Uprights or posts 7connect the guard-bars with the side bars and plate l and are connectedto the respective parts'in any substantial way. The foremost uprights 7are detachably connected at their lower ends to the plate or bar l andare preferably ianged for this purpose to provide an extended andsubstantial bearing, the danges being apertnred for reception of thefastenings by means of which the connection is made.

A board 8 is located in the rear of the plate or bar 1 and inclinesrearwardly and down- IOO ends of the stocks in the formation of a bunch.

The top ends of the stalks when cut are supported by means of the rod 9,which extends transversely of the space formed between the guard-bars 6.The supporting-rod 9 may be prevented from slipping by engaging withsuitable stops or seats of the bars 6, and, as shown, a series ofnotches 10 are provided in the upper side of the rear curved ends of theguards. When the stalks are cut, they fall rearwardly, as indicated inFigs. 1 and 2, the butt-ends resting upon the board 8 and the upper endsfalling upon the rod 9. After a suiiicient number of stalks haveaccumulated to form a bunch of required size the rod 9 is Withdrawn,thereby permitting the top ends of the stalks to fall upon the ground,and the machine continuing to advance the bunch is withdrawn from theboard 8, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 3 and as will be readilycomprehended. f

The rod 9 is slidably mounted in the sleeve 11 at the outer or rear endof arm 12, which is secured to the axle of the mower in any determinateWay. The parts are so'disposed that the handle end of the rod 9 iswithin convenientreach of the drivers seat. In order to adapt thecontrivance for stalks of varying height, the rod 9 is adjustable on theguards 6, and to allow for this adjustment the arm 12 is extensible,being composed of telescoping sections secured in an adjusted positionby clamp-screws 13 and is clamped to the l axle, so as to be turnedthereon to adapt the rod 9 to the selectedposition.

The attachment is readily applied to a mower by securing the foremostupright 7 to the plate 1 and slipping the interlocking extensions 3 intothe sockets 2 of said plate and by clamping arm 12 to the axle. Whendisconnected from the mower, the attachment may be stored in a smallspace and readily handled, the parts being comparatively light andadapted to lie one upon or against the Y other.

2. A harvesting attachment for mowingmachines, the same comprising sidebars and provided at their front ends with longitudi' nally-curvedextensions to make interlocking connection with the plate or bar of themower cutting apparatus, guard-bars arranged above the respective sidebars and rearwardly and downwardly curved at their hind ends, a supportat the front ends of said side bars for sustaining the butt-ends of thestalks, and a supporting-rod sustained upon the rear curved ends of theguard-bars for receiving the top ends of the stalks, substantially asspecified.

3. In a corn harvesting attachment for mowinginachines,the combinationof side and guard bars, means for supporting the buttends of the stalks,a rod for supporting the top ends of the stalks, and an arm for slidablyreceiving the supporting-rod and composed of extensible sections andadjustably connected to the mowing-machine, substantially as set forth.

4. In a corn harvesting attachment for mowing-machines, the combinationof coperating side and guard bars, a board immediately in the rear ofthe mower cutting apparatus and rearwardly and downwardly inclinedandadapted to support the butt-ends of the stalks, and a supporting-rodsustained upon the rear ends of the guard-bars and adapted to receivethe top ends of the stalks, substantially as set forth.

5. In a mowing-machine, the combination of the plate or bar of thecutting apparatus provided near its ends with longitudinallycurvedsockets, side bars having longitudinally-curved extensions to makeinterlocking connection with said sockets, guard-bars arranged above theside bars and inwardly and downwardly curved at their rear ends andprovided with a series of supports upon their rear curved ends, arearwardly and downwardly inclined supporting-board immediately in therear of the mower cutting apparatus, a supporting-rod, and an extensiblearm slidably supporting said rod and adjustably connected to the mower,substantially as' specied.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. BLACKBURN.

